1. PURPOSE

The “Korkut Ata Film Production Support Fund” has been established to bring the Turkic countries together around shared cultural values, to foster integration, and to build a common consciousness of history, culture and unity.

The Korkut Ata Film Production Support Fund aims to support the production of feature-length fiction film projects planned to be shot in Turkish or in Turkic dialects across the Eurasian geography, to develop international co-production opportunities, and to bring high-quality cinematic works into world cinema.

2. SELECTION AND APPLICATION CRITERIA

• Feature-length fiction film projects in Turkey Turkish or in any Turkic dialect, with a running time of at least 70 minutes excluding credits and intended for theatrical release, may apply to the Film Production Support Fund.

• For film projects without dialogue, it is sufficient that they will be produced by producers of Turkic origin or Turkic-speaking producers.

• Applications must be submitted by an official production company registered in one of the member or observer states of the Organization of Turkic States, or in one of the countries located in the Eurasian/Balkan geography.
• It is considered an advantage if projects have already been supported by the national film funds of their own countries, or if an official co-production relationship has been established with producers from other Turkic republics and communities.

• For projects to be carried out as official partnerships with the participation of different countries, each co-producer must secure and document at least 50%[1] of the budget corresponding to their own share.

• The copyright and assignment agreements (consent documents) between the producer, director and screenwriter of the submitted projects must have been completed in accordance with the copyright legislation in force in the country of application.
• Applicant projects must explicitly declare that their artistic and technical teams (screenwriter, cinematographer, actors, composer, art director, etc.) will predominantly include cinema professionals from the Turkic republics and communities.

• The credits of films completed with production support and presented to audiences must include the statement “Produced with the support of the Korkut Ata Film Production Support Fund” in Turkey Turkish and in the relevant local Turkic dialect.

3. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Production Support applications are evaluated by a Selection Committee composed of the Festival Management, representatives of the Turkic World countries and representatives of the institutions/countries contributing to the fund, according to the following criteria:

• Potential to establish artistic and technical partnerships among Turkic World countries,
• Originality and dramatic structure of the screenplay,
• The project’s commercial and festival potential in national and international markets,
• The cinematic works previously produced by the producer, screenwriter and director, together with the rankings and awards these works received and information on total audience numbers,
• The sources and guarantees presented by the producer/co-producer regarding the financing of the project, and documentation of support and funds already obtained,
• Feasibility of the production and marketing/distribution strategy.

4. APPLICATION AND EVALUATION PROCEDURE

• Applications from Türkiye are made in Turkish through the online application form available on the festival’s official website (www.korkutatafilmfestivali.com).
• Each country representative pre-screens the projects submitted by producers in their own country and may advance a maximum of 2 (two) projects to the final stage per application period.
• Representatives forward the finalist projects to the Festival Secretariat. The Secretariat distributes the projects to the members of the Main Jury and to the other country representatives.
• Voting principle: Projects to be supported are selected by affirmative vote (secret ballot) at the Main Selection Committee evaluation meeting. The projects receiving the most votes are ranked and the support decision is formalised.
• Projects not accepted in the first evaluation may apply again the following year, provided that shooting has not yet begun and that a “Development Note” describing the revisions and progress made on the project is attached.

5. CONTENTS OF THE APPLICATION FILE

The following documents are mandatory and must be uploaded to the online application system:

• A fully completed Online Application Form,
• Detailed CVs and filmographies of the producer, director and screenwriter,
• Synopsis (1 page),
• Treatment (between 8 and 15 pages),
• The complete screenplay (in its original language, together with a Turkish summary),
• Director’s Statement,
• Producer’s Statement and Marketing/Distribution Strategy (maximum 3 pages),
• Detailed Production Budget and Finance Plan (including details of existing co-producers and sponsors),
• Copyright Agreements and Permission Documents,
• Visual materials, if any (presentation deck / location photographs, etc.).

6. TYPE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDING

• The Korkut Ata Film Production Support is a non-repayable (grant) production support.
• The support amount per project is a net 100,000 US Dollars (One Hundred Thousand US Dollars).
• Logo and acknowledgement obligation: The statement “Produced with Korkut Ata Film Production Support” together with the Festival logo must appear visibly in the opening and closing credits of the supported film, in its trailers, posters, all printed/digital promotional materials and press releases.

7. SUPPORT AGREEMENT AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

A “Support Agreement” with a term of 36 months is signed between the producer of the project awarded support and the Festival Management/Supporting Institution. Payment of the total 100,000 USD is made in 3 (three) instalments as follows:

• 1st Instalment (30%): 30,000 USD within 30 (thirty) days following the mutual signing of the Support Agreement,
• 2nd Instalment (30%): 30,000 USD upon commencement of principal photography and the delivery to and approval by the Festival Secretariat of raw footage (dailies) proving that at least 30% of the screenplay has been shot,
• 3rd Instalment (40%): the remaining 40,000 USD upon completion of the film’s edit and delivery to the Festival Secretariat of the final screening copy (DCP) in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

8. SPECIAL PROVISIONS AND TERMINATION CONDITIONS

• The producer is the legal counterparty of the project and party to the agreement. The producer is directly responsible to the Festival Management for the full fulfilment of the terms of the agreement.
• The agreement is terminated for projects that are not completed, or on which shooting has not begun, within 36 months of the agreement date without force majeure. In such cases, the instalments already paid are refunded by the producer together with statutory interest.
• The Festival Management reserves the right to suspend payments and cancel support for projects that fail to comply with the terms of the agreement and the technical requirements.
• In matters not covered by these regulations, decision-making authority rests with the Board of Directors of the Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival.